Goluptuously splendid news

[marycrawford]

This, from Dave Langford's ever-entertaining science fiction & fantasy newsletter Ansible, has made my day:

Diana Wynne Jones is ecstatic after a secret première of Howl's Moving Castle, practically on her doorstep in Bristol: `Miyazaki came in person, carrying with him a tape of the film, an interpreter and sundry other shadowy figures (all this was supposed to be secret for fear of the Japanese media, who then descended on me afterwards, so I couldn't mention it beforehand) and we had a private showing at the Watershed cinema. The film is goluptuously splendid with breathtaking animation. I had grown used to young ladies regularly writing to me to say that they wanted to marry Howl. Now, Howl in the film is so plain stunning and sexy that I think I have joined them. And after the showing and the scamper through Bristol I had a long talk with Mr Miyazaki and it began to seem that we were soulmates.'

Of course they are soulmates! I don't know which of them to love more - I adore Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy books, and Miyazaki's anime (Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind) is sheer genius.

Howl's Moving Castle is, right now, the bestselling domestic movie in Japan. (Not animated, not children's - best selling movie. The Japanese know a good thing when they see it.)

I can't wait.